Aisha
Buhari’s BBC Hausa Service interview is generating a lot of excitement in the
polity. For some, her responses represent political opportunities to either
self-glorify as prophets or to condemn the president for his political choices.
For others the interview looks like a betrayal of a husband by his wife. And
for the misogynists of all shades, the interview represents an abomination. However,
irrespective of the judgment made of the interview, the freedom and frankness
with which Mrs. Buhari fielded the questions surprised everyone as they do not
match our mental representation of the President.
Our
president cuts the image of a no-nonsense head of a household. His carriage and
demeanor portend an aristocratic Fulani rooted in the firm tradition of
patriarchy. His stern mien conveys the impression that his words carry more
weight than his tall lanky frame. His background as a General in the army gives
the impression that his is to give orders and for the others to execute without
questions within and outside his family compound. Put together, all these
characteristics show a person to whom dialogue within the household is an anathema.
This is probably the impression that our president gives to many people inside
and outside Nigeria.
But
Aisha Buhari, his wife of almost three decades has, through her bare-all
interview with the BBC, shown that we all have a wrong impression of our
president as a family man and probably as a politician. Her responses
demonstrated that Mr. Buhari is a liberal man who sees himself as an equal
partner in a family relationship. Who would know him better?
The
open-mindedness and the frankness of Aisha’s responses to BBC’s questions could
not have been on the spur of the moment. Clearly, if Mr. Buhari had been a
fierce household dictator, Aisha would have learnt over the years to rein in
her independent thoughts. Women that live with dictatorial husbands will not
dare bare their minds about the politics or the behaviour of their husbands in
public. At least not in Nigeria. This interview gives an insight into Buhari’s
household where, it appears, independent opinions and the freedom to express
them are allowed. Mrs. Buhari has shown the world the humane and women’s
rights-oriented face of her husband.
And
the President’s responses confirm this suspicion. If he was surprised that his
wife gave the interview, he did not show it and did not excoriate her. There
are many ill-omened responses that the President could have given. A typical
Nigerian man could have ominously said, “This is a family matter. I will deal
with the situation when I get back home..”
But the President simply said, “my wife belongs to the kitchen, living
room and the other room..” A smart answer
by all standards to massage the misogynistic ego of obsessed
testosterone-driven Nigerians who would have taken him to the washers. He did
not promise to clobber his wife as many would have done. How many Nigerian men hit
their wives everyday for insignificant things? And he is being criticized for
his response to Aisha’s interview by women’s rights groups!
Mallam
Garba Shehu, his spokesperson, when first confronted by those that apparently
took offence at the President’s response to his wife’s interview said, on
twitter, “Mr. President respects the place of women in our society. He believes
in the abilities of women.” This is logically true, given the freedom and
honesty with which Aisha answered the interview questions posed. Under further
pressure, Mallam Garba Shehu sought to further explain the President’s response
by saying, “He was obviously throwing a banter….. My friends, can't a leader
get a sense humour anymore? Mr. President laughed before that statement was
made…” This shows that the President did not get worked up because his wife
expressed her independent opinion on the situation of things in Nigeria.
It
is my opinion that the President on his return back to Nigeria from his trip
will not make a big deal out of his wife’s interview. He is not cut out for
that. He will, probably over tea with his wife discuss the merits and the
demerits of the interview and move on. Hopefully he will act on some of her
concerns, and if he does not, it will not break up his family.
The
true hero of this interview is not Aisha Buhari. She did not tell us many
things that we did not know. And harping on what she said during the interview
is immaterial and puerile politics. The true hero is the President who, in
aberration of his social and religious environment as well as his military
career proclivities has shown that the issue of the Rights of women is not just
a political discourse but a way of life to be practiced both in private and the
public. This is an opportunity for campaigners for Women’s Rights to leap in
the other direction. It is the moment to celebrate the anti-thesis of their
thoughts and representation of the President.
The
import of this event should be seen vis-à-vis the gender equality bill in the
parliament. There have been reports of some religious leaders warning against
the passage of the bill for religious reasons. Mr. Buhari has, by the freedom
of expression of independent opinion demonstrated by his wife shown on which
side of the debate he stands.
I
give Mr. Buhari all my respects as a head of a household ….I have been
wondering what would be my reaction if my wife were to grant an interview to a
news outlet in a way that expresses her independent thoughts and which directly
or indirectly puts me on the spot…..Ask yourself this question.
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